Low δ18O silicic volcanic rocks at the Calabozos caldera complex, southern Andes - Evidence for upper-crustal contamination

Abstract

Sr- and Pb-isotope data from the Calabozos center (87Sr/86Sr=∼ 0.7043, 206Pb/204Pb=18.64-18.66, 207Pb/204Pb=15.59-15.60, 208Pb/204Pb=38.52-38.55) fall within the range of values reported for the southern volcanic zone (33-42° S) of the Andean arc. The range of δ18O (5.0-6.3), however, includes unusually low values compared to volcanic rocks of similar bulk composition in the region. The Calabozos caldera complex lies at 35 °30′ S, where the continental crust under the Andes thins southward from >45 to ∼ 30 km. Three voluminous late Pleistocene ashflow tuffs, collectively called the Loma Seca Tuff, constitute the bulk of >1,000 km3 of eruptive products at the Calabozos caldera complex and are evidence for a major, longlived andesitic-to-rhyodacitic magma reservoir at shallow crustal levels. The δ18O values of the most evolved volcanic rocks from the Calabozos center are lower than predicted for rhyodacite produced by crystal fractionation from basalt typical of the region. Variation of δ18O independent of bulk composition and inferred magmatic water contents indicates that the 18O depletion is a late-stage, upper-crustal phenomenon that cannot simply be attributed to magmatic interaction with meteoric water. The data are interpreted to be the result of assimilation of 5-30% of roof and wall rocks previously depleted in 18O by isotopic exchange in a meteoric hydrothermal system overlying the magma reservoir. Combined assimilation and fractional crystallization calculations applied to Sr isotope data show that the isotopic contrast between the Calabozos magmas and the assimilated rocks is very small. Hydrothermally-altered volcanic and plutonic rocks from the Tertiary Andean arc complex and Mesozoic-to-Cenozoic volcaniclastic sediments typical of the local basement provide a geologically reasonable contaminant compatible with the Sr- and O-isotope data. Pb-isotope data from the Calabozos system lend no significant insight into upper crustal contamination. © 1987 Springer-Verlag.